PASADENA  Tre Mason’s touchdown catch late in the first quarter of the BCS championship game gave Florida State its first deficit since Sept. 28, when the Seminoles trailed Boston College, 17-3, early in the second quarter.

On Monday, 38 quarters had elapsed since the Seminoles had to play from behind. Against Boston College, they responded to the 14-point deficit by scoring three unanswered touchdowns and eventually winning, 48-34.

The hole dug against Auburn was a bit deeper, with Nick Marshall’s 4-yard touchdown run giving the Tigers a 21-3 lead with 5:01 left in the second quarter.

Of course, that only set the stage for Florida State’s comeback, as the Seminoles became the first team to win a BCS title game after being behind at halftime.

Mason sets records

Not only did Mason’s 37-yard rush late in the fourth quarter give Auburn a crucial, if short-lived lead, it also put the junior running back in unrivaled company.

With that touchdown run, Mason passed Tigers legend Bo Jackson for the most rushing yards in a season, with 1,816. He also tied Tim Tebow’s SEC single-season record for the most rushing touchdowns, with 23.

Mason also set a BCS title game record with 34 carries, gaining 195 yards.

“It’s a blessing to surpass his yards that he put up,” Mason said of Jackson, who rushed for 1,786 yards in 1985, “but it would be great to do that with holding the crystal ball in the air.”

Coincidentally, Jackson and Tebow were both on hand for Mason’s historic performance. Jackson appeared at midfield for the pre-game coin toss, opposite Florida State icon Bobby Bowden. Meanwhile, Tebow roamed the sidelines in his new role as an ESPN college football analyst.

Clark pins Seminoles

Auburn’s Steven Clark had perhaps the greatest punting performance in the history of the BCS championship game, time and again pinning Florida State deep in its own territory.

Clark punted six times for 257 yards, but far more impressive than the 42.8-yard average was the placement of those punts.

Four of them were downed inside the 10-yard line. Clark had entered the game with 11 such punts on the season.

Florida State’s average starting field position following a Clark punt: behind its own 11-yard line.

“We lost the field position battle in the game,” Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher said.

MVPs

Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was named the game’s offensive MVP. Winston, the first redshirt freshman to win the Heisman Trophy and play for college football’s national championship, completed 20 of 35 passes for 237 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He completed 6 of 7 passes for 77 yards on the final, game-winning touchdown drive.

The Seminoles’ P.J. Williams was named the defensive MVP. The sophomore cornerback intercepted Auburn’s Nick Marshall early in the fourth quarter, setting up a drive that ended with Winston throwing a touchdown pass to Chad Abram.